Four Swords: Shrouded Rainbow
by Nira Rose
Summary: "Split to four, but now much more; split to eight, to accommodate, the evils that roam free, sharing power like the deities. The forces grow strong, yet they desperately long, for the hero that 'betrays'..."  A collab between ProFinEnce and I.
1. Paint the Sky With Charcoal

**A/N: Well, hi there! I know I haven't been working on Shadowed Truth lately... But I do have something good for you readers~... I've been working on a collab with ****_LeahAF_**** from DeviantArt (she's _ProFinEnce_ on here). This is it~! We don't own LoZ, but we own our plot and OCs. The pairings are... BluexRed, VioxShadow, GreenxVaati... And more that shall be revealed later on in the story. Enjoy the tale we're about to spin for you...**

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**Chapter 1:** _Paint the Sky With Charcoal_

**Dar****k Clouds**

It was a dark, cloudy day in the fields of Hyrule and our four heroes all stared up at the sky.

"A storm is coming..." Green said uneasily.

"There's more to this storm than meets the eye," Vio added quietly.

"I think the rain will do the fields some good!" voiced an optimistic Red.

"Shut up, Red! Everyone is trying to be serious!" Blue shouted, whacking the smallest Link in the head with his hammer.

"I'm sorry! Umm, it looks... bad?" Red tried weakly.

Blue grunted a disgruntled reply before turning toward the clouds as well, his hammer slung over his shoulder.

"We should get some rest. Tomorrow we'll be heading towards the castle, right? Maybe the Princess will have some ideas," Green said weakly, trying to mediate between them as best he could.

Vio was quiet, standing a bit apart from the other three teens and staring up at the sky. "This storm looks like serious trouble... If it even _is_ a storm," he muttered, speaking too softly for them to hear.

* * *

It was just like I predicted; the storm brought us nothing but trouble. We made the foolish mistake of not assigning someone to be look-out, too... And now look what's happened. There are hundreds of monsters- all coming from the South, it seems- and we're surrounded.

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When night came, all hell broke loose. We all went to bed only to wake up completely surrounded by monsters!

I remember everyone keeping close to Red. That wimp isn't much of a fighter, after all. Even though we were being careful not to, we somehow lost track of him in all the commotion... Dammit!

"Red? _Red!_ Where the hell did you go this time?" I shout as I tear through the woods, moving fast. Vio was right. Goddess-damned bookworm, why does he always, _always_ have to be right? This storm _is_ more than meets the eye. With it came a whole entire army of monsters! Hyrule is slowly burning to the ground...

Death Mountain has erupted and the skies are fogged with ash. Vio mentioned that someone had actually forced it to blow its top, claiming that the volcano itself wouldn't have erupted if it was left undisturbed. How in Hyrule does he know that? Hmph. That's the least of my problems at the moment. I have to deal with Red first. The little idiot is lost somewhere, as usual, and I can't find him! Only the Goddesses know what kind of trouble he could get himself into!

Damn it all! When I find that little idiot I'm going to grind him into sand! I clench my fist around the hammer in my hand, chasing after the fleeing monsters. I swear I'll kill those creeps if they have Red! J-just to show him what I'm gonna do to him, of course! It's not like I _like_ that stupid sissy or anything; everything about him ticks me off!

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"Blue!" Red yells in a panicked voice as the crowd of monsters grows denser and denser, separating him from the others.

"Green! Vio!" the boy struggles to get back to his companions, but he's grabbed and thrown over the shoulder of a darknut before he can get very far, knocking the breath out of him for a moment.

"L-let me go! Green! Vio! _BLUE!_" he screams, but his desperate cries go unheard; lost in the commotion as the shortest, most innocent Link is carried off amidst the chaos...

**~time-skip~**

"Wh-where are you taking me?" Red asks fearfully, his eyes swimming with as-of-yet-unshed tears.

"..."

There is no response from the darknut, who simply continues to carry the boy as if he's nothing more than a light sack of rupees.

_'Is it mute?'_ Red thinks to himself curiously. _'Poor thing...'_

**~time skip~**

It seems like hours have passed to the terrified Red Link, though he can't be sure. Before long, they enter a sparsely populated camping ground. Not sure if he should be relieved or not, the boy merely pouts.

Red is suddenly thrown to the ground, a shrill squeak escaping his lips at the harsh treatment.

"Eek...!"

"Stand." The command is harsh and unyielding.

Red scurries to his feet, wincing as he feels thousands of tiny pinpricks shoot through his numb legs and feet. The boy is far too terrified to say anything as he stares fearfully at his captor, surprised that it suddenly spoke.

_'I-it's not mute! It was just ignoring me... T.T '_

Slowly getting over the fact that the large armored creature isn't as mute as he thought, Red's stiff, frozen pose slackens slightly and he shivers a little.

A whistling sound slices through the silence from behind with a deafening crack, followed by a shrill scream.

Red instantly clasps his hands to his knees, doing his best to grasp his lower calf. Tears instantly overflow down his cheeks as the boy shakes in terror.

"I _said_ stand, 'red hero,'" the darknut says brusquely. "Do you want to get yourself killed?"

"N-n-no, sir..." Red mumbles timidly, even more alarmed than before. He gets up again, standing so quickly that he nearly falls. A snicker comes from behind Red as he frantically tries to regain his balance.

"Hmph. I knew I should have taken one of the others, it's just my luck that I decided to choose the crybaby," Red's darknut grumbles to itself, annoyed.

"Hey, is that little kid seriously a hero? You're BLIND, mate!" another darknut, the one who snickered, yells. Unlike the other darknuts, whose armor is gray in color, this one's armor is red.

"Shut it, will you? He has one of the Four Swords, which is proof enough," it snaps at the snickering darknut, shaking its large broadsword at its annoying comrade.

"He's so wimpy compared to the others! Are you SURE that thing's not fake?"

"WHAT PART OF SHUT IT DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND? _SHUT IT!_"

Red shivers, bringing his hands close to his chest. The tension between the two darknuts is making him nervous.

_'Th-this is scary...'_

Their shouting match brings them closer toward the middle where Red stands in a frozen mess. As they continue to advance on each other, Red side-steps, gaining the attention of the 'not-so-nice' darknut. The crueler of the two monsters grabs him roughly by the arm and lifts him into the air.

"Where the hell do you think you're going, you little brat?"

"N-n-nowhere! I-I wasn't going a-anywhere, r-really! I was just t-trying to get out of the w-way!" Red cries as he struggles to get out of the creature's strong grip.

"Think you can escape, huh? Little idiot! I'll have to teach you a lesson!" the darknut roars as it throws the small "Link" to the ground before giving him a rough kick to the gut. Red whimpers and instinctively curls up into a ball with his knees to his chest and his arms shielding his face. The cruel darknut pulls out its weapon, a ball and chain, but is stopped by Red's darknut before it can strike him with it.

"Enough! We need him alive, you fool!" The grey-armored monster barks. "Have some honor. The boy is disarmed. Even if he weren't, in his state he clearly can't fight back!"

"Hmph. I wasn't going to kill the brat, just teach him a lesson. The little hero's in OUR turf now," the violent darknut grumbles.

"Get up," Red's unlikely protector says gruffly, completely ignoring the other darknut.

Red hesitantly scrambles to his feet again, stumbling in his haste.

Red's darknut sighs, more than likely rolling its eyes under the helmet. "Tie him up. I highly doubt he'll go anywhere, though."


	2. Unleash the Powers

**A/N: Here's chapter 2. Sorry it took so long, we kinda had to re-write it since our pieces on GoogleDocs were lost somehow. Hope you like it... And again, all we own are our plot and OCs, none of whom have even shown up yet... Well, in this chapter, one kinda does. Teehee.**

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**Chapter 2a: _Unleash the Powers_

**Sorcerer of Winds**

A faint breeze washes over the shattered columns and wreckage littering the once-beautiful rooftop balcony of Sky-Tall Tower, the only spire in the ruined Palace of Winds that still stands after the events that took place here not too long ago. Though the airy citadel collapsed, it still floats among the clouds, stubbornly refusing to return to the earth below. Drifting along Hyrule's outskirts, the aerial structure can sometimes be glimpsed from afar, a silent presence in the sky above.

Those who manage to catch a glimpse of it cannot bring themselves to be upset by the sight, all the malice once associated with it somehow gone without a trace, as if it has been purified. Contrary to what one would expect, the dark storm clouds cloaking the heart of the fertile kingdom of Hyrule have not yet been able to touch this place. Its reputation as a den of evil is truly quite hard to believe if one looks at it now...

The reddish golden light of the setting sun glints off the reflective surface of a mirror placed near the center of the roof, looking almost as if it's standing guard over the small gazebo behind it. The eerie black glass pane of the mirror is broken and shattered, carefully returned to its frame by a steady hand. This is the infamous Dark Mirror, restored as much as was possible by a certain teen with a fondness towards the color violet after the events that ended in its destruction.

The sun descends further as minutes sift by, time not seeming to matter in this deserted relic of the past... Or is it truly deserted? Narrow shafts of orange twilight filter into the half-destroyed gazebo, illuminating a statue tucked away in one corner. It appears to be a boy, though the statue has long hair and effeminate features, and depicts a user of magic judging by its attire. Unlike the rest of its surroundings, the statue is untouched.

"Teehee~... So this is the boy Mama asked me to help? He's kinda cute!" a small child giggles, running up to the statue. "What a nasty curse, though. He's been trapped in stone for a couple thousand years, at least. And then there's him..."

The boy darts over to the Dark Mirror, gazing into its murky depths with clear eyes. "Don't worry, I'll wake you up soon," he whispers, resisting the urge to touch the smooth, cracked surface before him. He hurries back to the statue, clapping his hands confidently.

"O-kay~! All ready..."

The boy cheerfully begins to chant in an ancient tongue older than the land itself as the wind picks up, swirling around the tower in anticipation.

*kriiiik!*

Tiny cracks form, trailing across the statue's cold gray surface at a stilted, calculated pace as the spell is completed and the boy steps back, panting slightly with the effort of using what must have been quite a difficult incantation.

"I have to hurry," he mumbles. "It's not time to show myself to them yet... Even though I really want to."  


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_"...Little child of the forest, whose heart belongs to the wind... The time has come to reawaken,"_ a gentle, unearthly voice murmurs quietly.

A faint semblance of awareness begins to return to the person the voice is talking to, the thick, clinging fog of sleep lingering oppressively in the air lifting a fraction. A thin-fingered hand twitches minutely, the child's eyes sluggishly slipping open a crack. A dull, dazed ruby-toned eye becomes visible for a fleeting moment before the weight of the child's lids becomes too much to hold up, the other hidden behind a thick lock of silky lavender hair. The child's long hair reaches a few inches past shoulder-length. Whoever this listless enigma is, he seems to be a boy, though fairly effeminate-looking.

_"Come now, you cannot sleep forever..."_

The boy moves his fingers again, more details of his appearance coming into focus as he stirs sluggishly, his long, thin ears twitching. A small T-shaped marking traces across each of his cheekbones, its color a purple so dark it's nearly black. Again, only one of these is visible due to those concealing bangs. With skin is so pale it's nearly white, tinged with a faint lilac glow that complements his hair perfectly, it's clear that this is no ordinary Hylian. A loose, baggy robe- or is it a cape?- dyed a deep, royal purple-blue cloaks his somewhat androgynous form, draping over thin shoulders that seem just a little bit too bony to be healthy and fastened at the front with a round, curved golden button.

A thigh-length tunic with a simple collar covers his torso, a much lighter shade of purple than the robe/cape, with long sleeves whose slightly-darker-lilac cuffs are decorated with a single stripe each, a 'hill' in the middle of each stripe pointing up towards his shoulders. The cuff-stripes and collar are both dyed a shade of purple just a few tones above that of the robe/cape. A golden-yellow, metallic belt loops around his girlishly skinny waist, its buckle displaying a red, eye-like circular design. He's wearing a pale lilac undershirt beneath the tunic, though it can't be seen right now, and puffy red-orange shorts whose form-fitting bottoms bunch in to hug his legs just below each knee. A pair of simple wide-strapped sandals in the same color as his shorts cover his feet.

_"It is high time you returned to Hyrule, little one. Open your heart and mind to your surroundings and go forth. Your power is needed to help destroy the evil that once again plagues this land,"_ the voice continues softly, its tone gentle.

"...Nnnn..." the boy whimpers, his voice barely audible.

_"Please, you must awaken. I understand that much time has passed since you were sealed away, but you are not as alone as you believe. Someone is waiting for you there."_

This seems to get his attention, his face taking on a somewhat pained look.

_'Waiting for me...?' he thinks dimly. 'No one is waiting for me. Anyone who knew me is long dead by now...'_

"...L-... ...Liar..." comes the boy's whispered reply. It's clear that he would have spat the word if he had possessed the strength to do so.

_"I am not lying to you, little one. Even one such as yourself deserves to live their life. And yours was cut woefully short, as you surely must know."_

The boy wraps his arms tightly around his thin frame, curling up in a ball. "...Leave me... alone... ...I... ...J-just... ...go away..."

_'I don't want to think. And I definitely don't want to remember. Why can't this stranger just let me sleep?'_

A gentle breeze ruffles the boy's soft hair and he lets out a little sigh in spite of himself, his stiff body unconsciously relaxing.

_"He, like all of his brethren throughout the twisting threads of time, was a hero. He would have acted the same regardless of who he was trying to protect."_

Silence. The boy's eyes are half-lidded, open again out of surprise as he stares sightlessly into the nothingness around him, looking for the voice's source.

"...You... ...How do you... ...know about that...?" he gasps in that weak little whisper, sounding a bit stronger and more alert now.

A light chuckle chimes in response, seeming quite amused by his reaction. _"I know everything about you... Everything that happens in the world."_

The boy's wide red eyes snap open to their full width. "...Y-you... ...You're...!"

_"That is correct,"_ the voice answers approvingly.

"You shouldn't be interfering with the lives of the living... or half-dead, in my case," the boy mumbles, his voice finally raising above a whisper.

"We interfere only when we must, little one. Now is one of those times. The moment for these many wrongs to be made right is long overdue."

There is a long moment of silence following the voice's words.

_'Many wrongs...?'_ the boy thinks. _'Then it isn't just me they're interested in. But why me at all? I'm no Hero, Princess, or Evil King, I don't deserve any special treatment. I already proved beyond a doubt that the shard of Wisdom, known to me then as the 'Light Force,' is far beyond my ability to wield. I'm nowhere near as brave as even the weakest of the heroes, and when it comes to physical strength, I'm completely useless. I can't possibly be the best choice for whatever it is they have in mind!'_

"It's not for you to decide! Maybe I chose to be like this!" he protests. "The Goddesses shouldn't step into the world whenever they want! It's for the living to mold now, isn't it? You've said it yourself in your legends countless times!"

_"We cannot simply stand by and watch when it is on the verge of falling into a much deeper darkness than ever before, not when there is something that can still be done about the situation,"_ the voice answers calmly. _"Nonetheless, these tangled tragedies have gone on long enough. It is high time they were put to an end. And you are lying about choosing this fate."_

The boy winces slightly, his discomfort blatantly obvious. _'Ugh, she really is Farore. That was... embarrassing, to say the least.'_

"...Will you please stop looking in my head? It's creepy," the boy complains sheepishly, his pale cheeks darkened in a blush.

_"I cannot help it, little one. Still, it is quite ridiculous for you to claim to be cursed into this petrified state by choice. Especially seeing as how you fought your assailant as best you could until both you and your... companion,"_ she says tactfully, knowing that he will likely snap at her for saying his name, _"were knocked unconscious."_

"...Just... get to the point, will you?" he sighs resignedly, now standing amidst the emptiness with his skinny arms crossed over his chest.

_"I will be brief, then. The Heroes need your aid, little child of Wind. The challenges they will face in this journey are sure to require the assistance of one such as you, an expert in many kinds of magic. There are other reasons, but I doubt you would believe them at this time."_

"...Fine," the boy relents, looking defeated. "You won't leave me alone until I agree anyway, so I might as well get this over with..."

_"I am glad you have decided to lend your aid, child of the Wind," _the voice says happily. _"However, you are wrong to believe I would coerce you into doing so."_

"Do I look like I want to do it?" the boy retorts, glaring into the nothingness in annoyance with his arms still crossed.

_"Outward appearance is of no consequence to one who can see into the heart of all living things,"_ Farore's voice replies mysteriously. _"What you believe you desire and what you truly desire are not always one and the same."_

"That doesn't make any sense."

_"You will surely understand in time... Now, however, it is time for you to wake up from your long sleep."_

"Ugh. This is why you three shouldn't interfere in the world... You're too confusing," the boy mutters as the nothingness around him begins to brighten, his vision going white as the scene disappears.

_"Welcome back to Hyrule, Sorcerer of Winds..."_

* * *

A strong, gleeful wind rushes across Sky-Tall Tower, the rooftop deserted. The strange boy who was here only moments before is gone without a trace as if he never came.

"Ugh..."

The strange statue, its gray stone surface spider-webbed with cracks, begins to collapse, revealing itself to be a mere hollow piece of pottery cast of stone. The figure's emotionless face is the first to crumble away as a pair of striking ruby eyes blink sleepily into the sunlight, the statue seeming to come to life as its occupant shakes off his stone shell, looking around blearily. The wind is blowing around the area briskly, swirling around the boy excitedly as if greeting him.

"Well, at least _something_ missed me," the boy mumbles, enjoying the wind's happy caress for a moment before continuing his examination of where he is, taking note of the state of his surroundings.

His eyes land on the full-length mirror standing nearby and stay there, his interest piqued. "What is _that_...?"


End file.
